Device for supporting and weighting the top rolls of spinning and like textile machines



um 1 2, m 6 m m.. 3 6 P mms Emma. mm G mm B. NEWTN Feb. 5, 1963 R. DEVICE F SUPPORT AND WEIGHT ROLLS 0 v PINNING LIKE TEXTI Filed DGO. 21, 1959 N Nm om J/m INVENTOR. ROSS B. NEWTON BY M f@ ATTORNEY Feb. 5A, 1963 NEWTON 3,076,237

, RB.v DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING AND WEIGHTING THE TOP ROLLS OF SPINNING AND LIKE TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Dec. 21. 1.959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

i ROSS B. NEWTON BY W W ATTORNEY 3,076,237 DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING AND WEIGHTING THE TOP ROLLS OF SPINNING AND LIKE TEXTILE MACHINES Ross B. Newton, Whitinsville, Mass., assgnor to Whitn Machine Works, Whitinsville, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Dec. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 860,752 10 Claims. (Cl. 19-281) This invention relates to a device for positioning and applying pressure to the front and middle or intermediate top rolls of a drafting mechanism used on roving and spinning frames and similar textile machinery.

Reference is hereby made to Patent No. 2,870,488, dated January 27, 1959, the present invention in general providing an improvement over this apparatus.

The principal object of the present invention resides in the provision of an apparatus which is simpler and less expensive to make than those of the prior art; the provision of a device as described which has fewer parts and which can be easily removed from the support and dismantled in the event of the need for repair or replacement of any of the parts; and in the provision of an apparatus as above described which is very easy to re-assernble.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an apparatus of the class described in which the top rolls are quickly and easily given access to by reason of the manual shifting of a lever which is relatively latched in its position of use of the machine and also in its position of actuation for the removal of the rolls and in which the operating handle latches and unlatches both the top front roll and the middle or intermediate rolls simultaneously.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a general longitudinal cross-sectional view with parts in elevation and showing a `drafting mechanism `embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in rear elevation of certain parts of the apparatus and looking in the direction of arrow 2 in FIG. 1, parts being omitted for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken, on the line 3 3 of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are detail views showing certain parts of the machine.

In FIG. 1 there are shown parts of the drafting machine which include a fixed framework or the like and there are shown on this framework adjustable bottom roll bearings which are indicated at 11, 12 and 13. These bearings are bolted or otherwise secured in adjustable relation on frame 10 by means well known in the art.

The top rolls are indicated generally by the reference numerals 14, 15 and 16 and they cooperate with respect to the bottom rolls 17, 18 and. 19 more or less in the usual manner. The aprons illustrated in FIG. 6 of the Patent No. 2,870,488, dated January 27, 1959, are ordinarily used with the intermediate rolls 15 and 18 but these aprons are omitted from the drawings for the sake of clarity in illustration. Also, the device indicated generally at A for positioning and weighting the back rolls is described inPatent No. 2,900,674, dated August 25, 1959, and forms no part of the present invention which is directed to that part of FIG. 1 which is indicated by the` character B.

The invention in this case comprises means for weighting and positioning the top front roll and the middle or intermediate top roll at 14 andr 15, and to this end there United States Patent O are provided a pair of upright plates or standards 20 and 21 secured by any means such as rivets 22, Z2 to opposite sides of a block 23, best seen in FIG. 3. The plates or standards 20 and 21 and block 23 are conveniently secured relative to the bottom rolls 17, 18 by a bolt 24 clamping the block 23 to a -bar 25, bar 25 forming a part of the framework 10.

Plates 20, 21 are provided with holes 26, 26, see FIG. 4, receiving and holding a pin 27 (FIGS. l and 3). On the pin 27 there are mounted side plates or upright portions 28, 29 of an inverted U-shaped member generally indicated at 30 which extends generally to the rear of the plates 2i), 21 as plainly shown in FIG. 1, i.e., from the pin 27 to a position extending across intermediate rolls 15 and 18. The plates or side portions 28, 29 are provided with corresponding holes receiving the pin 27.

There is a second inverted U-shaped member generally indicated at 31 and this is fastened as by a screw 32 in adjusted position, longitudinally of the machine, to the member 30. The member 31 is provided with downwardly-extending side walls 34, 35 in which are provided openings 33 which extend upwardly from the lower edges thereof as seen in FIG. 1 to receive the reduced bearing portion 15 of the intermediate top roll 15. Pressure may be applied to the top roll 15 by a twist or torsion spring 36 secured and pivoted about a pin 37 extending between the walls 34, 35. It will be seen that the spring has a central portion thereof which engages the under part of the second inverted U-shaped member 31 and that there are free-ended legs below the same indicated at 36', these `legs extending to the rear in general parallel relationship with respect to walls 34 and 35 and bearing downwardly upon the reduced bearing portion 15 of roll 15. Walls 34, 35 are also provided with inwardly-extending headed studs 38. p

It will be noted in FIG. 2 that the free ends 36 of spring =36 engage these studs, the latter preventing the ends' 36' of the springs from unwinding to any greater extent than as shown in FIG. 2. Thus in the absence of roll 15, the spring is held in position so that it will impinge upon the bearing portion 15 when the parts are re-assembled.

The reduced bearing portion 14 of the front top roll is supported in an opening 40 in a block 41. Block 41 has a hole 42 therethrough to receive the pin 27,I and therefore block 41 and member 30 both pivot about the lixed pin 27, which of course is held in fixed position by means of the side plates 20 and 21 in which it is located.

Between the plates 20 and 21 there is provided an upright post 45, the lower end of which i-s slidingly guided in a corresponding recess or hole 46 appearing in the top of block 23. The post 45 is provided with a collar 47 at its upper end. The collar 47 is provided with upstanding spaced ears 48, 49 and these extend between side portions or arms 50, 5-1 which extend rearwardly from block 41. The yside portions or arms 50, 51 are spaced apart as seen in FIG. 3 and they receive between them a roller 52 which is rotatably mounted on a pin 53 extending and held between arms 50` and 51 and extending through the ears 48. A compression spring 54 is provided which nds its reaction points on the top of block 23 and underneath collar 47.

The upright standards or plates 20, 21 are also provided with holes 60, see FIG. 4. These holes receive a pin 61 providingv a pivot for a hand-lever 62 having a transverse hole therethrough receiving pin 61 as shown in FIG. 3, with the forward part of handle 62 lying between upright plates 2l]1 and 21, it being observed that the plates 28.and 29 lie outside of plates 20 and 21 but pin 61 does not extend into the side plates 28 and 29.

The hand lever 62 is provided with a forward arcuate cam surface 63 and a locking notch 63' butin the normal position of the lever as in FIG. 1, this cam surface and locking notch clearly lie above and out of contact with roll 52. A cross-pin 64 is secured to the side plates 28 and 29 of the member 30, and this cross-pin 64 also passes through an opening 65 in the forward portion of lever 62. The opening 65 does not communicate with any other part of the device but is completely closed peripherally. However, the forward wall of opening 65 has a locking notch 66 therein at one end, and this engages cross-pin 64 in the normal position of the lever 62, lockingy the member 30 in operative position by reason of the fact that pin 27 is fixed. The standards 20l and 21 are provided with openings 67 which receive the bearing portions y68 of a clearer roll 69' which of course can be easily removed.

Referring now to FIG. l, it will be clear that spring 54 continuously urges post 45 upwardly and thus swings block -41 in a clockwise direction about its axis in pin 27 so as to apply pressure to the front top roll 14, keeping' it in engagement with roll 17. Furthermore, the member 30 is locked in its position as shown by reason of the pin l64 being latched in the notch 66. Also pressure on the intermediate top roll is applied in a downward direction by torsion spring 36.

When it is desired to relieve the pressure on the top rolls, the operator swings lever 62 in a clockwise direction about its fixed pivot 61, causing the arcuate surface 63 of the lever 62 to contact and depress roll 52, forcing post 45 slightly downwardly against the action of spring 54. When the locking surface `63 of the lever 62 reaches or engages roll l5,2, further clockwise movement of the lever is prevented, but in this position of the lever 62, notch 66 is clear of the pin 64. This allows pin 64 ample room for movement in opening 65 so that the member 30 can -be swung about its pivot 27 in a clockwise direction to allow withdrawal of the top roll 15 from the openings 33 in the side walls of member 3l. Even though top roll 15 be removed, however, the studs 38 act as stops for the free legs 36' of torsion spring 36, :maintaining the same in position to once again apply pressure to the intermediate top roll on re-application thereto.

V With the lever 62 inthe locked position described, the front top roll is lifted out of contact with the bottom roll 17 due to the counterclockwise motion of arms 50, 5l and attached block 41. However, the retaining pin 70 is used to prevent the top roll from falling out of the block 41. The pin 70 is engaged by a flat spring 71 whereby pin 70 may be pushed in a direction to allow the top roll to be quickly removed from the unit and also re-positioned therein.

Of course when the handle 62 is returned to the position of FIG. l, from its position described wherein the top r-olls 14 and 15 are released, it is once more latched by reason of pin 64 being held in the notch 66 and the machine is thus ready for operation again.

This invention provides a positioning and weighting arrangement for drafting rolls for textile machines which is `very simple to operate, has fewer parts from those of a comparable machine of the prior art, and the entire unit can be removed from its support and dismantled should any of the parts need repair or replacement, and then the entire apparatus is quickly and easily re-assembled.

Having thus described my invention and the advan- ,tages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In a textile drafting machine, a frame, a standard thereon, bottom and top front rolls -and bottom and top intermediate rolls on said frame, means on said standard mounting the top front roll, means on said standard mounting the top intermediate roll, a hand-operated lever normally latching one of said top roll mounting means in operative position, the other top roll mounting means being pivotally mounted ou the standard and including resilient means for moving the same toward its bottom roll, said lever being movable to release the said one top roll mounting means, and means on said lever positively retracting the other top roll mounting means during the motion thereof towards unlatching position of the said one top roll mounting means.

2. In a textile drafting machine, a frame, a standard thereon, bottom and top front rolls -and bottom and top intermediate rolls on said frame, means on said standard mounting a top front roll, means on said standard mounting a top intermediate roll, a hand-operated lever normally latching one of said top roll mounting means in operative position, the other top roll mounting means being pivotally mounted on the standard and including resilient means for moving the same toward its bottom roll, said lever being movable to release the said one top roll mounting means, and means on said lever positively retracting the other top roll mounting means during the motion thereof towards unlatching position of the said one top roll mounting means, and separate resilient means on the one toproll mounting means, said resilient means directly impinging upon the roll mounted in said one top roll mounting means.

3. In a textile drafting machine, a frame, a front bottom roll and an intermediate bottom roll mounted on the frame, a front -top roll for the front lower roll, an intermediate top roll for the intermediate bottom roll, a standard on the frame, an arm movably mounted on said standard, -means on said arm rotatably mounting the front top roll, spring means urging said arm in a direction to cause impingement of the front top roll on the front bottom roll, a support movably mounted on said standards, means on said support for rotatably mounting an intermediate top roll in cooperative position with respect to said intermediate bottom roll, a hand-operated means latching said support in operative position and being movable to unlatch the same, said hand-operated means also including means to pivot the arm away from the operative position of roll cooperation to release the top front roll from the bottom front roll.

4. The textile drafting machine as set forth in claim 3 wherein the hand-operated means comprises a lever having a cam thereon, said cam forming the arm actuating means.

n 5. The textile drafting machine .as set forth in claim 3 including an opening in the means on the arm mounting the top front roll to receive the same, and a retractable pin extending into the opening to hold the top roll therein.

6. In a textile drafting machine, a frame, a bottom front roll thereon, a standard, a movable arm mounted on said standard, a top front roll, means on said arm for releasably holding the top front roll in cooperative relationship with respect to the bottom front roll, a post associated with said standard, said post being longitudinally movable relative to said standard, a spring normally urging said post upwardly, means connecting the post and the arm, said post normally urging said arm in a direction to cause contact of the rolls, a lever, a cam on said lever for engaging said arm and retracting the same and said post against the action of the spring to move the top roll from the bottom roll, and interengaging latching means between said lever and said arm for holding the arm in its retracted position.

7. A textile drafting machine as recited in claim 6 in cluding a roller mounted at the upper end of said post, a pin extending through the roller and engaging in the arm, said cam engaging said roller, and the interengaging means for locking the arm with respect to the lever comprising a notch on said lever for engagement with said roller.

8. In a textile drafting machine, a frame, a bottom roll mounted thereon, a standard, a support mounted on said standard and extending to one side of said standard overlying the bottom roll, a top roll, means in said support for receiving the top roll, resilient means on said support, said resilient means bearing on said top roll causing it to be pressed upon the bottom roll, said support being movably mounted relative to said standard, a lever pivoted on said standard, latching means on said lever normally holding said support in operative position relative to the bottom roll, said latching means being released upon manipulation of said lever, so that said support may be moved away from the bottom roll to allow removal of the top roll from the support, said resilient means comprisinng a spring having free-ended arms directly engaging said top roll, and means on said support engaging and holding said free-ended arms upon removal of the top roll from the support, said spring Aarms being held in a position to be engaged by the top roll as it is reapplied to said support, said top roll then moving the spring ends and increasing the resilient pressure thereon. l

9. In a textile drafting machine, a frame, a front bottom roll on said frame, a standard on the frame, an arm on the standard, said arm being movably mounted thereon, means on said arm for releasably holding a front top roll, a spring normally urging said arm in a direction to cause engagement of said rolls, means to retract said spring and said arm to raise the top roll from the bottom roll, an element on the arm, said means cornprising a lever having a cam surface thereon in la position to engage said element on said arm in the motion of the lever and retract the arm, and latching means, said latching means forming an interengagement between said lever and said element to hold the larm in retracted position, an intermediate bottom roll on said frame, a support pivotally connected to said arm and extending to a position above said intermediate bottom roll, a top intermediate roll mounted in said support, and interengaging means between said support .and said lever normally latching said support in a predetermined position with respect to said standard and said intermediate bottom roll, said latching means being released upon motion of said lever in a direction to move said arm to retract the same from the bottom front roll.

10. A textile drafting machine as recited in claim 6 including a roller mounted at the upper end of said post, a pin extending through the roller and engaging in the arm, said cam engaging said roller, the interengaging means for locking the arm with respect to the lever comprising a notch on said lever for engagement with said roller, the latching means including a pin on the support, said lever having a notch therein, and said pin being 1ocated and held in the notch to hold the support in operative position, said pin being reelased from the notch upon motion of the lever in a predetermined direction.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,045,697 Casablancas June 30, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 736,498 Great Britain Sept. 8, 1955 820,253 Great Britain Sept. 16, 1959 

1. IN A TEXTILE DRAFTING MACHINE, A FRAME, A STANDARD THEREON, BOTTOM AND TOP FRONT ROLLS AND BOTTOM AND TOP INTERMEDIATE ROLLS ON SAID FRAME, MEANS ON SAID STANDARD MOUNTING THE TOP FRONT ROLL, MEANS ON SAID STANDARD MOUNTING THE TOP INTERMEDIATE ROLL, A HAND-OPERATED LEVER NORMALLY LATCHING ONE OF SAID TOP ROLL MOUNTING MEANS IN OPERATIVE POSITION, THE OTHER TOP ROLL MOUNTING MEANS BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE STANDARD AND IN- 